Brussels, 21/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - A high-level consultative group met for the first time in Eltville (Germany) on 20-21 May to consider recomendations on European home affairs policy starting in 2010, when the Hague programme comes to an end. This group, whose setting up was announced by the Council presidency in early January at the informal Dresden meeting, consists of Commissioner Franco Frattini, the six interior ministers of the current and upcoming trio presidencies (Germany, Portugal and Slovenia, and also France, the Czech Republic and Sweden), one representative of the subsequent trio presidency (Spain, Belgium, Hungary), and experts from individual member states, as needed. Given his experience, Luxembourg Justice Minister Luc Frieden also took part. At the constitutive meeting, there was discussion, in particular, of options for the future of the European border management agency FRONTEX, of joint Schengen border and visa management and of border police cooperation with third countries. The future group's second meeting will take place in Brussels 25 June and will focus on the increased overlap of internal and external security. A final report will be presented in the second half of 2008 and is intended to assist the Commission in drawing up its official proposal for the post-Hague programme. (bc)